4 Fun Ways to Enjoy Summer Homeschooling

4 Super Fun Ways to Enjoy Summer Homeschooling ~ 
Written by Cait Curley of My Little Poppies

Our family just wrapped up a 3-day soccer tournament and the kids are prepping for their year-end piano recital. I need to sign my daughter up for the summer swim team this weekend and my oldest needs to decide which merit badges he wants to work on at Scout camp. My husband just brought freeze pops home from Costco and my youngest is working on a summer activity wish list.

Summer is here, you guys. We made it!

I’m ready to hop grab a slice of watermelon, hop in the hammock, and get lost in a delicious book. But, first… I have to figure out our summer homeschooling plans.

Summer Homeschooling Works Well For Many Families

As much as I would like to while away my summer hours reading in a hammock, my kids crave structure. Early in our homeschool journey, I tried taking the summer completely off and it made for rocky re-entry in September. I’ve learned that our family thrives when we maintain a little structure during the summer months.

Summer homeschooling works well for several reasons:

1. Kids love routine.
   Routines are important for children and teens. Predictable routines help kids to feel grounded and secure. Routines are especially helpful during times of uncertainty and change, whether that’s a move, transitioning back to school, or – say- the uncertainty of a global pandemic.
2. Routines help to keep children and teens busy. 
   I’m a huge believer in the value of boredom. My kids always do something creative after complaining of boredom. That said, I don’t want to spend my summer days listening to my kids whine about boredom. Adding a dollop of structure to summer days can help decrease the “I’m bored” whine factor!
3. No summer slide. 
   Honestly? I kind of hate the term summer slide, but we all know that those math skills can be a bit rusty come September. Sprinkling a little math throughout the summer can make September reentry a breeze!
4. Allows for time off during the year. 
   This is one of my favorite reasons to homeschool during the summer months. It allows for more time off during the traditional homeschool year. Feeling burnt out? Want to enjoy the winter holidays? Dying to take an impromptu long weekend? Year-round homeschooling allows for more space during the year.

There are many benefits to year-round, but summer homeschooling need not look anything like the rest of the homeschool year!

Homeschooling in the Summer Needs To Be Fun

• I need the break.
  Homeschooling is hard work, and the past year-plus has been more challenging than in previous years. I want our homeschooling to be fun this summer!
• My kids need the break.
  I try to remember that when I feel like I need a break, my kids are almost always feeling the same. Kids need downtime, too!
• The weather is better and we need to enjoy it.
  Summer is hands-down my favorite season. I live in New Hampshire and summer is but a blink! Because of this, I want to soak up every last bit of our summer days.

Our summer homeschooling includes heaps of outdoor time, stealth learning, delicious books, and -of course- play!

4 Super Fun Ways To Enjoy Summer Homeschooling

I’m a firm believer that the very best ideas are often the most simple ones. Here are four super simple, super fun ways to infuse more play into your summer homeschooling:

1. Make your own bucket list
   Summer bucket lists can be fun, but they often lead to feelings of pressure and overwhelm. I much prefer a Summer Idea List. The Summer Idea List is just that- a list of ideas. It’s not a to-do list. You’re not expected to tick off every box. Instead, this is a boredom buster. Did your teen just whine of boredom? Refer him to the list. You can make your own, or you can check out our Summer Idea List.
2. Coffee and Books
   Reading aloud is the most important part of your entire homeschool day. In our family, we have a simple but beloved homeschool tradition called Coffee and Books. It’s as simple as it sounds! I drink coffee and read books to my children while they eat breakfast. I’m able to check off the most important thing early in the day and that feels pretty darn good. If you’d like to try Coffee and Books in your homeschool, I have a free 10-Day “Coffee and Books” Read-Aloud Challenge that would be a perfect start!
3. Outdoor Games
   We are gameschoolers, but board games do not need to be confined to indoor spaces. When the weather is gorgeous, we take our games outdoors! We love to play waterproof games in the pool or at the beach.
4. Unit Studies
   I love unit studies! The summer months are perfect for getting lost in a long, leisurely rabbit hole. Whether you’re interested in backyard science or you want to get lost in a favorite author’s work, unit studies are a great way to sneak in some fun summer learning.  This summer, I’m cooking up some fun for the Never Board Learning community by creating a Shark Week Play Pack and an Olympics Play Pack. (My kids can’t wait to play the games and read the books we have planned!)

Want More Ideas For Summer Fun?

If you want to add more play to your summer homeschooling days, but don’t really know how to get started, check out this Summer Play Pack. It includes the following printable resources:

• Summer Idea List: Because bucket lists can be stressful! Here is a huge list of fun ideas for when you need a little summer inspiration!
• A Summer Fun Challenge Set: This 3-piece challenge set will infuse playfulness into your summer days!
• Summer Game Pack: This summer game pack can be used to play Charades, Pictionary, Password, Memory, or as a Hedbanz summer expansion pack!
• Word Search: See if you can find all of the summer words. A perfect companion on errands, while traveling, in waiting rooms, or restaurants.
• Summer Gameschool Bingo: Play your game closet while playing our Summer Gameschool Bingo!

I created the Summer Play Pack to help to infuse more play into your summer days without the overwhelm. Why? Because I believe homeschooling can be almost all fun and games!

What will your summer look like?

I would love to know what your summer days look like. Please share below. Whether you’re eating your weight in watermelon and spending lazy days reading in the hammock, or if you’re homeschooling through those hazy hot and humid days, I wish your family a wonderful, playful summer!

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!